The Dallas Police Department held the second of several listening sessions tonight in Oak Cliff. It was an opportunity for residents to bring their concerns directly to Police Chief U. Renee Hall.
A lot of questions were about trust, transparency and accountability. Hall said in the past, what's been missing from the Dallas Police Department's five-year plan was community input.
"What do you need? What do you want to see from us? What do we need to do better?" Hall asked the crowd.
On Monday night, a meeting held in District 3 welcomed residents to ask questions and give feedback. It's the second of more than a dozen listening sessions the department will host throughout the city.
On Post-it notes, people were asked for input on six pillars, including community policing, police oversight and trust.
Community members also brought up the importance of familiarity between officers and the communities they police.
"I have seen on occasion police officers that speak to a community in a negative way, and the way they approach the individuals causes an explosive situation," said Verna Mitchell, a District 3 resident.
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When pressed on high-profile cases such as Botham Jean and Diamond Ross, as well as the overall perception of the department, Hall admitted there's work to be done.
"We recognize that we have members in our police department that may or may not do things the way that they're supposed to be. We have to hold them accountable."
